This invention relates generally to food products for pets, and, more particularly, to compositions relating to a gender specific diet for puppies.
While pet care product customers presently have a host of suppliers and products to choose from, it may take significant time, effort, and investigation to determine a product that best suits a particular pet""s needs among the available alternatives. This is particularly true in the case of pet foods. While veterinarians and other professionals may assist in recommending a given brand of pet food for a particular pet, pet foods are typically mass manufactured to meet the needs of an average pet within a selected range of pets that is typically based on pet age and/or size. Nutritional needs, however, vary from pet to pet, and an optimal regimen of appropriate nutrients for a particular pet or breed of pet would be beneficial. Nutritional requirements for young pets, such as puppies are especially important as the nutritional intake of a puppy will determine such things as health, size, and appearance as the puppy becomes an adult dog and matures into an older dog.
In one aspect, a gender specific food for puppies is provided which comprises at least about 0.25% methionine, at least about 0.45% total sulfur amino acids, and a total dietary lipid level based on gender.
In another aspect, a method for maximizing body weight gain and body length gain in puppies is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a diet with an amount of methionine and total sulfur amino acids based on a gender of the puppy, and formulating the diet with an amount of dietary calories from fat based on the gender of the puppy.
In still another aspect, a food for male puppies is provided. The male puppy food comprises from about 0.31% to about 0.83% by weight of an amino acid, methionine, as part of an amount of total sulfur amino acids from about 0.50% to about 1.18%. The food further comprises less than about 25% of calories coming from dietary fat.
In yet another aspect, a food for female puppies is provided. The female puppy food comprises from about 0.25% to about 0.35% by weight of an amino acid, methionine, as part of an amount of total sulfur amino acids from about 0.45% to about 0.70%. The food further comprises more than about 25% of calories coming from dietary fat.
A method for increasing body weight gain and body length gain in male puppies is provided in a further aspect and comprises providing a diet including between about 0.31% and about 0.83% by weight of methionine in a total sulfur amino acids amount of about 0.50% to about 1.18% by weight, and formulating the diet with less than about 25% of dietary calories derived from fat.
Finally a method is provided for increasing body weight gain and body length gain in female puppies which comprises providing a diet including an amount of methionine from about 0.25% to about 0.35% by weight in a total sulfur amino acids amount of about 0.45% to about 0.70% by weight, and formulating the diet with more than about 25% of dietary calories derived from fat.